Nearly every industry in our community has felt the impact of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. The farming and agriculture industry in Illinois is certainly no exception. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the lockdowns and closures in response to COVID-19 are pushing many farm owners to their financial limits as commodity prices, food demands and biofuel demands drop. In an industry that has already faced years of challenging production and market conditions, these financial difficulties are cutting even deeper into farmers' already-thin margins. And for many farm

The Southern Illinois University School of Medicine Center for Rural Health and Social Services Development (CRHSSD) partners with our rural and agricultural neighbors through the Farm Family Resource Initiative (FFRI).

Some, but not all, cancer treatments cause hair loss. Ask your cancer team if your treatment is likely to cause hair loss. The Just for You Wig Salon at Simmons Cancer Institute offers wigs, hats, and scarves at no cost to cancer patients. The salon benefits from funds raised by BJ Grand Salon & Spa. Appointments Please make an appointment by calling Jessica Fleck, 217-545-7495 or email to come into the salon for a personalized fitting.

Support groups provide those diagnosed with cancer a place to learn information about their cancer; a place to share feelings, experiences and concerns with others who have the same cancer diagnosis; and a place that gives emotional and spiritual nourishment. Support Groups connect people facing similar challenges. Finding Hope Support Group is open to any cancer patient, spouse/partner, friend, or caregiver. The focus is to provide a safe place to address the emotional needs of cancer patients and their families, provide support and improve health and wellness. Group meets the third Wednesday

CORRECTIONS, SIU MEDICINE PARTNER TO IMPROVE HEALTH CARE DELIVERY IN STATE FACILITIES by Lauren Crocks More than 76,000 Illinoisans live behind bars, and nearly 41,000 of those individuals call state prisons home. Like the more than 2.2 million justice-involved individuals in the United States, many suffer from a complex combination of anxiety, post-traumatic stress and a range of chronic health conditions, including hypertension and arthritis. In an effort to improve health care delivery in correctional facilities and meet its mission, SIU School of Medicine is partnering with the Illinois

by Richard Austin, MD "Someone should tell self-important anti-gun doctors to stay in their lane….” On November 7, 2018, the NRA, in response to a position paper from the American College of Physicians, tweeted that doctors should stay in their lane when it comes to gun violence research. This tweet led to a massive response from not just physicians, but health care workers of all types as well as the general public. The majority felt that gun violence research was firmly in the lane of physicians. The fact is that gun violence is responsible for 36,000 deaths every year. Unfortunately, this